Twisted
by ShadowFire328
Summary: Spinoff Little Red Riding hood. Evil witch, transformed prince.Out- of-place bumpkin trying to make her own destiny.
1. Chapter 1

Twisted

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young woman with long auburn hair. When she was very young, her mother had made her a hooded cloak the same shade of red the girl's hair took on in the sunlight.

"My sweet child, wear this cloak to shield you from the cold, and to protect yourself from danger," her mother had said.

So from then on, the girl always wore the cloak, and it never seemed to be any shorter as the girl grew, but always matched her measurements every time she donned it. After some time, everyone in the nearby village, and even her own mother, started calling her Red Riding Hood-or just Red for short- and everyone forgot one detail about the girl that she herself could never forget. The girl had another name, the one her father gave her when she was born, before he vanished. He had whittled her name out of a log of fresh cherry wood and the girl kept it in her small room, right next to her cloak, so she could always read the smooth-cut letters A-L-E-X-A-N-D-R-A whenever she wished. Sometimes, the girl thought she could see an elderly man smiling gently at her when she read her name aloud. She had never been called by Alexandra since she received her beautiful red hood and it sometimes made her sad that not even her mother would say the name her father had so lovingly given her.

When Red turned 18 years old, her mother decided it was high time she left home and became a bride.

"Now Red, take this basket of food and go up the mountain trail to your grandmother's cottage. She will take care of you and introduce you to many eligible men for you to choose from. Only the highest-class men will do for _my_ daughter. It's a three day trip so be careful, we don't want you scarred" she said proudly.

Red just sighed, took the basket and gathered all her most important belongings- her only nice dress, a change of slacks and a blouse, and her wooden name- grabbed her cloak and set off.

Strolling along the path, Red started mumbling to herself. "Mother can be cruel sometimes. She knows that I want to marry for love, but she wants me to marry for money. What happened to the kind, considerate mother who made me this cloak?"

When she got to the edge of the forest, Red stopped. "Before she changed, mother said I shouldn't go into the forest alone. That there was someone or something that wanted to hurt me and that would be the best place to do it. I really should find someone to travel with me, especially before it gets dark. I don't have any weapons to defend myself, mother wouldn't let me bring any; saying it would scare grandmother and the men."

After thinking for a moment, Red left the path and skirted the forest, trying to find a good companion.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_**Six months earlier-**_

"Celebrations are a pain

"But Prince Ваўка, the celebration of your 18th birthday is very important. You have completed your princely trainings-although you were very rebellious- and you must now take a wife, if not as your future queen, than as a woman to produce your heir in case your father and yourself- gods forbid- fall under any harm! This ball is to help you choose a suitable wife."

Ваўка just stared at his long-time tutor and sighed again. He straightened his dress-clothes and took his cue to enter when the chamberlain introduced him to the crowd. The women went crazy, every one of them wanted to be the new princess. The music started swiftly and the women took up their partners to show off how well-bred and talented they were while the prince went to speak with his parents.

"Mother is this truly necessary?

"Yes it is dear, now watch the women dance, you get your turn after this," the queen said.

After an opening dance that seemed to take forever, it was time for all of the young ladies to have a turn dancing with the prince. Ваўка put on his best fake smile and started leading his first partner across the floor.

"So what is your name my lady?" he asked gently.

The woman didn't answer him and just seemed to puff out her chest as if insulted that he didn't know who she was. After many hours filled with dancing, Ваўка was finally down to the last girl. She was modestly pretty with straight black hair and a small build. The girl curtsied and danced with the grace of a swan.

"My name is Sirene," her melodious voice sang.

Ваўка would have been completely in love with Sirene if there wasn't something strange nagging at him. He couldn't place what the feeling was, he just felt that she was…_fake _somehow.

"Beautiful lady, if I may inquire, why would you be interested in being with me?" Ваўка asked.

Sirene looked at Ваўка as if he had lost his mind.

"Your highness, it would be the greatest honor to be the wife of the Crown Prince and to bear his future heir," she said innocently.

Ваўка felt stung because he knew what she meant: she was interested because of his _money_ and _power_. They had just met and he already loved her dearly, yet she had no intention of returning that love. He clasped her hands and gently pushed her away.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "I need something that you cannot provide for me. I must go…."

Ваўка walked out onto the balcony and sighed. "'Tis a foolish man who would dream a woman's dream," he said to himself. "I can have any of these women I want, yet I do not want any of them. All any of these _noble_ women want is my money and title. People are far too selfish…including me."

Suddenly, he heard screams inside. He ran in to find that Sirene was surrounded in purple lightning and her appearance was changing. She spotted him and a bolt of lightning rushed toward him, captured him, and dragged his body toward Sirene in the middle of the ballroom.

"My dear, sweet Prince," Sirene said, her voice no longer a melodious tune, but instead a crackling noise. "It seems you have more power than I thought, to be able to resist my love charm like that. Unfortunately for you, I must now get rid of you. No hard feelings, really, I just want to rule this land- and of course all the lands around it- and I can't have someone with such power around to oppose me." Sirene was now in her natural body- a middle-aged woman with dark makeup and a black aura.

Ваўка looked around to find his parents and saw them trapped in what looked like a cage made out of shadows.

"This is impossible! There hasn't been magic in this country for centuries," he shouted, recalling his teachings.

Sirene cackled. "That is what you believe, _majesty._ However, the peasants and most underground workers still possess miniscule forms of magic: cleaning spells, lifting tokens, light charms, petty things really. By the look on your face I can tell that some of your teachings have been neglected."

That was true enough, why hadn't he been told? Ваўка was growing angry; everyone had kept secrets from him. Was it because he wasn't trustworthy? Or because _they_ weren't? He felt a tingle around his body.

"Since I can't actually _kill _someone with your kind of power with my magic, I will just have to change you and let nature do what she will with her prince. Now don't look like that, it isn't your fault you have so much power, nor is it your fault you don't know how to use it. As I said, I can't kill you; I just have to make sure you cannot ruin my plans. I am just going to put you in a position where no one would ever want to help you return. Now, what shall I change you to…?" Sirene put her long-nailed finger to her mouth, thinking hard. Then her eyes lit up and she cackled. "Prince _Ваўка _hmmm? If I stand correctly, Ваўка means _wolf_ does it not?" she flashed a grin and the tingling in Ваўка's body turned into a vibration.

Within seconds, there was a beast where the prince had been. The beast was a large wolf with midnight black fur and the prince's emerald green eyes. From Ваўка's perspective, everyone around him seemed to move to a different angle. He was now seeing everyone from the waist up. His vision didn't change besides that but there was something extending from his back end. He turned his head to look, and saw that he was on all fours, covered in fur and had a tail.

_**Strangely, I'm not surprised, **_he thought. He looked at Sirene and growled. _**This could be fun.**_ Ваўка bared his teeth and lunged at Sirene. Startled, she threw out her hand and ensnared him in a cage of shadows.

"We can't have that my prince, I think I may have to send you somewhere far away," she said. She stretched both hands toward him and Ваўка felt like his body was tearing in two. His vision blurred and blacked out. When he could open his eyes again, all he saw was an endless forest.

Back in the ballroom- the Crown Prince of Neriva was completely gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch 3

By the time sundown came, Red had walked several miles along the edge of the forest. She had encountered many able-bodied men, yet none would accompany her into the forest. Red sighed and made her way back to the path. When she got there, it was well past dark, so she sat herself as comfortably as she could against a lone tree that was surrounded by pine needles; if anything or anyone thought to attack her, she would hear them first.

The night was warm and it reminded Red of all the camping trips her and her parents used to take. A wave of pain hit her as she recalled these happy days. The camping, the picnics, the horse rides…it all seemed so far away.

_**That's it**_, Red thought, _**I will go see grandmother and tell her that I don't want any suitors. If I stay by myself, I can't get hurt**_. With that, Red dozed off underneath the tree.

She awoke when the first rays of sun up were peeking over the horizon. The morning was only slightly cold, the air nice and crisp, but Red woke up with the same chill she felt every morning at this time since her father vanished. Red sighed and stretched out her body.

"Well, since no one will go with me, I will just have to go alone," she said, standing up.

She pulled her hood over her head and walked up to the forest path, looking around at the inside. No animals were on the ground, and the only noises were the birds high up in the trees. Strangely, even though the forest was eerie, Red felt safer under the dark trees than out in the open light. She kept walking along the path and, after a couple of hours, found a small clearing. The clearing had a small pool of freshwater and several large rocks. Red was tired and thirsty, so she made her way to the clearing, drank some water, and sat down. She checked the position of the sun- a little past noon- and giggled.

"At the rate I'm going, it may take half a lunar cycle before I get to grandmothers. I was supposed to find this spot hours ago," she said to herself.

She noticed a lock of hair escaping her hood and examined it. The places the sun touched gleamed and glimmered vibrant red, while the parts that were shadowed by her body and tree shade were an earthy, light brown. Red heard a deep growl and jumped. "You with the hood," a deep voice said, "Give me one reason as to why I shouldn't kill you."


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

Ваўка woke up to the sound of footsteps on the forest floor. _**Today makes six lunar cycles since that day**_, he thought, rising to his feet.

He stuck to the shadows, following the sound of moving dirt. Six lunar cycles had taught him how to use his newly-refined senses, and how to avoid the potential danger of hunters. He followed the sound to the clearing that had a freshwater pool and seven stones surrounding it. Peering out from behind the trees, he saw a cloaked figure, and by the scent and posture- _female_. A low growl escaped his throat. He didn't trust people in general, but he especially did not trust women.

One good thing he learned in the past few cycles was that he could still speak human, along with animal. "Give me one reason as to why I shouldn't kill you," he said to the girl.

She turned slowly in circles, not out of fear, but curiosity. "Who is there?" She asked.

Her voice was as quiet as the shadows, but projected well and was rich like his favorite cakes at the castle. That annoyed him- beautiful voices always did since Sirene- and he growled again. "You do not need to know who I am. Pull off your hood and answer my question," he told her.

Ваўка crouched as the girl reached for her hood- now able to face him after discerning where his voice came from- and nearly jumped when he saw the glimmer of vibrant red hair that tumbled out of it. "My purpose here is only to get through the forest to see my grandmother," her voice said. "I will tell you no more until you show yourself."

Ваўка chuckled- this wasn't one of the refined, frightened ladies of court, but a backwoods, fearless peasant. The young woman intrigued him so Ваўка stood up and- slowly- walked into the clearing.

When Red saw the wolf, she tilted her head. Wolves couldn't talk, could they? She didn't move, just in case the wolf wasn't the voice she heard. The wolf walked toward her and stopped just in front of her. It was almost as tall as her chest and could easily reach her from that distance. The wolf grinned-if that's what it could be called- and spoke in the same deep voice she had heard moments ago.

"You have no fear of anything do you? You don't beg when a mysterious voice threatens you, and you don't shake or cry in front of a giant beast that could maim your body. Yet all you have done is tell me your purpose instead of a reason not to kill you."

The wolf let out a bark of laughter when Red just blinked. "Innocence is my only reason, and I know it is not a good one sir. I do not fear you because I do not sense that you would hurt me, though I don't know why I know that, and my mother always told me that there was someone out to kill me so I do not fear death anyhow," she said calmly.

"What is your name strange girl?" the wolf asked.

"Everyone calls me Red," Red told him.

"I asked for your name, not for what you are called. However, I can understand you not trusting me. As for myself, well, I lost my name when a witch transformed me into this body so you may call me what you like," the wolf replied.

Red gazed at him with her hazel eyes. She crouched down and slowly moved toward him. Curious, he let her rub between his ears and around his cheek. She stood back up and said out loud "Ваўка, I choose that name because it means wolf and it is the name of a foreign prince. You have the same attitude as royalty so it should befit you perfectly."

Ваўка had jumped when she said his name, but he didn't say anything back, he just nodded. She had returned his name to him, but she would not give her own name. Ваўка knew that she trusted him just as much as he trusted her- which was not at all- but he decided to travel with her anyhow. Red pulled her cloak over her head and started back on the trail with Ваўка following at her side.


End file.
